Government, Politics, & Issues

The governor also signed into law on Thursday harsher penalties for drunk driving and age verification requirements for pornography website access.

Amendment 1 reauthorizes a sales tax of one-tenth of 1% that provides money for soil and water conservation projects and Missouri's state parks system.

Missouri faced a tight budget this session after years of record spending. Kehoe issued 65 vetoes, totaling over $30 million in general revenue.

While lawmakers did not advance bills this year, more are speaking out, calling for hearings and special sessions on data centers.

The press conference announcing the hearing Tuesday came hours before a Montgomery County anti-data center group released a survey that showed widespread opposition to a planned center there.

Academics, business leaders and government officials spent the day making the case for and trying to build excitement for data centers coming to Missouri.

Missourians from across the state, including residents of Festus, gathered to speak out against the development of data centers.

Missouri voters in August will decide whether to approve a proposed constitutional amendment allowing for the expansion of sales and use taxes in order to eliminate the income tax.

Bills to improve literacy and establish a new system for grading Missouri schools passed the House but failed to make their way through the Senate.

The legislature also failed to pass bills that would restrict transgender rights, regulate artificial intelligence and the opioid-like drug 7-OH and eliminate vehicle safety inspections.